Dumping apparatus for oil wells



lMay 2l, 1935. L.. E. HARRINGTON DUMPING APPARATUS FR OIL WELLS Filed June 13,11934 0 W CJ fa 7- w @n 21H@ 14m zw 7 0 Y 7. 3 dk4 .0 Z Y.; if.

Patented May 21, 1935 ulviilao4 STATES PATENT oli-Fica MP msssignor to Perkins Cementing, Inc., 'Los Angeles Calif.; a corporation of California Application .Tune 13, 1934, `Serial No.5@ 30,400

10 Claims. (Cl. 166--19) This invention relates to dumping apparatus in normal position thatis to say., the position for use in deep wells, and while the apparatus whichthey have when the load of material is may be employed for dumping any kind of mabeing` retained, and the apparatus is descending terial, it is intended particularly for use in dumpin the well. f

5 ing acid or gelatin. Apparatus of this kind in- Fig. 3 isa view-similar to Fig. 2, butrepresent- 5 cludes a holder for `thematerial to be dumped, ing` the paris in the relation which they have and below the .holder a friction device is carried Y when the apparatusis dumping its load. for engaging the Awall ofY the casing. When the Fig. 4 is a side elevation-ofthe apparatus just apparatus has descended in the well to a point below the Vbody .of the holder that carries the where the material'is to be released, an upward material,` certain parts being broken away Vand l0 movement is given to the apparatus. In doing shown partially in fsection. i this, the friction device is prevented from mov'- l Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5 of ing upwardly by the frictionon the casing, and Fig. 1, particularly illustratingV latching means this relative movement effects the release of the for holding the parts in their set position for 1 5 material. f l descent inthe well. y Y A `One of the objects of this invention is to pro- Before proceeding to a detailed descriptionA of vide a construction for the apparatus, which will the invention, it should be stated that in practicenable a valve to be employed, atV the bottom of ing the invention, I provide aholderfor the mathe holder that comes upon its seat in a downterial to be dumped, and this holder has a bot- Award direction; also to. provide simple means for tom opening. I provide a valve seatingl on this 20 opening a valve of this type to effect the rebottom opening from above, and I also provide lease of the material'. a friction device located below the holder, with In some cases it is necessary to dump the maa lost `motion connection between the same and terial within a liner of smaller diameter than'the the holder. In the operation of the dumping ap- `upper part ofthe casing, in the well,`and one. of paratus, by an upward movement oftheholder, 25 the objects of the invention is to providea conmovable means carried on the holder, effects the struction for maintaining the apparatus f intact opening of the valve. The apparatus is also prefand ready for operation withinf. the liner while erably provided with an auxiliary valve above theV the dumping apparatus is descending in the well'. main valve, which is so constructed that it will One of the difficulties ,encountered in operating support the weight of the load while the dumping 30 this apparatus, is that if Va prematurev opening' of apparatusis descending in the well, but which will thevalve occurs while the apparatus is descendautomatically open by sudden Vupward pull of the ing in the well, the material orsome of it will holder lto release the load. Thisauxiliary valve be released above the point at which the dum'pprevents premature release of the load of mateing operation should take place. One .of the rial in the holder. l Y

objects of this invention is to provide the appa- Referring more particularly to the parts, I inratus with means for Vpreventing such premature vdicates the upper. partof a casing, the lower end release of the material. f of whichY carries a linerV 2, and the connection Further objects of the invention williappear between the `casing I and the liner 2, usually infie hereinafter.

l cludes asleeve or thirnble 3, having an upwardly 40 The invention consists inthe novel parts and flared mouth l G0 act 81S a guide fOr the friction combination of partsl to be described hereinafter, device when it passes into the liner. The dumpall of which contribute to produce an efficient ing apparatus rlludes'/ holder 5; the lOWel p0rdumping apparatus for oil wells;` i Y tion of which is formed with a bottom opening A preferred embodiment of the invention is 6, through a valve seat 1 on which a valve, .pref- 45 described in the following specic'ation,while the Verably of ball type such as the valve 8, seats. The broad scope ofthe invention is pointed out in the material to be dumped, iS held. in the holder 5 appended claims; above this valve 8, and if desired, this valve 8 may In the drawing: f be employed as the sole means for retaining the rig. `1 is a vertical section through a portion load of material. Belowthe holder, I provide a, 50

' of a `well casing at the location of a liner, and friction device El,l which may be ofY any common illustrating my apparatus in the casing just above form. This device is preferably of cage-type, com- Athe liner., n. prising a plurality of bowed'springs HJ, which are Fig. 2 is a vertical section through my appaattached at their lower ends to acollar Il carried 5.5` ratus, and illustrating the same `with the parts on a tube 4or long sleeve 1 2. VBetween the `sleeve 55 I2 and the holder 5, I provide a lost motion device, and in the operation of the dumper, when y the dumper is pulled upwardly, the friction device engaging with the wall of the casing or liner 2, will be held relatively fixed. As the holder moves upwardly, this relative upward movement of the holder operates means for opening the valve 8. For vthis purposeI form the lower portion of the holder 5 into a guide I3, in which a movable head I4 is guided to move up and down,

and this head is capable when moved upwardly,

ceive movable means preferably in "the form 'of' two rockers IS mounted to rock on aatransverse pin I'I. Each of these rockers has an upwardly projecting toe I8, whichengages the underside ofthe head I4, and which may raise the head I4 as indicated inFig. B1.: In orderto limit'the upward movement of the toes I8, I prefer to providea stop in theffro'r'my of a transverse pin I9. In order to facilitate mounting thesefrockers in position, theyare ysupported on Ythe upper-side ofthe pin I'I by forming a notchA 20 in the lower` edge of the rocker,- andthe upper middle portion of--each rocker is struck on an 'arc 2! having this pin I'I las its center. With this construction, the stoppin I9, being located'just above this arc- Ashrraped edge 2 I, retains'the rockers.

Associated with the rockers, I provide actu- ,I ating means for rocking them into the position indicated in Fig. '3,V and thismeans is brought into action by upward movement of the holder 5 relative to the sleeve, or friction device 9. For this purpose,` the ends ofthe rockers are attached to pullI rods,- or jstems `22, which extend downwardlyfromv the rockers and the holder. The upper ends of these pull rods are attached byfpin-and-slotV connections 23 tov the rockers. These stems, or pull rods, are guided through guide openings 24 in Ithe lower portion of the guide I 3, and their lo-wer ends areattached to a collar 25, which is loose on the tube, or sleeve I2. Fromk the lower end of the guide I3, a long mandrel26 extendsfdownwardly, fitting into vthe bore of'thetube, or long sleeve I2. The tube, or sleeve I 2, tends by gravityv to fall to the lower end of this, mandrel 26, but is normally' supported in an elevated position by a latch to be described hereinafter, and by frangible means preferably consisting of a cord,rorlight wire 2l, the upper end `of which is attached to the lower end of the'guide I3, and the lowerend of which is attached to the upper end of the friction device.v The mandrel 26 'has' anv outwardly projecting pin 28,whichruns A"in 'a slot y25B in the tube, or sleeve I2, and limits the downward movement of the sleeve I2 relative to the mandrel andthe holder. The frangible' means such as the cord 2l, is preferablymaintained in taut conditionby yieldingly pressing the sleeve I2 dovmwar'dly on the mandrel.v For this'purpose I prefer to'provide a coil spring 30, which is attachedv to a tubular extension I3a extending downfrcm the lower end of the guidev I3.A When the parts arer in the' relation shown Figs. l and 2, the lower endl Yof this spring thrusts Vagainst a collar SIcarried'byfthe upper end of the tube I2. This collar 3| alsohas guide openingsV or notches 33l through which `the actuating rods, or pull rods 22 pass freely.- Referring again to the friction device 9, the upper ends of the bowed springs IG are attached to a collar 34, which is loose on the tube, or sleeve I2. Latching means is provided for holding the parts in their set position as illustrated in Fig. 1. For this purpose I prefer to provide a leaf spring 32 secured above to the side of sleeve ISa, extending down at one side, and formed with an inclined hook 32a at its lower end, that is received in an inclined slot in the under face of the collar 3l (see Fig. 5). This spring latch tends by its own resiliency to swing away from the collar, but the inclined slot prevents this while the dumper is descending the well. This latch holds the spring 3D in compression.

In Vthe operation of the dumping apparatus constructed as described above, when the friction device 9 engages the mouth 4 of the liner 2,

the bows IU will beV compressed sufficiently to permit thefriction device to pass down into the liner. After the dumping apparatus has been moved down to the dumping point, then by eX- erting upward pull on the tool string, the friction device 9, which will be friction-tight in the liner, will release the latch and break the cord 2l, whereupon the continuedV upward movement of the material holder 5 will eventually engage the collar 25 with the collar 3|; This will exert a pull in the actuating rods 22, and that will rock the rockers so that the toes I8`of the rockers will push up the head I 4 andV open the valve 8. From inspection of Fig. 4, it will be noted that the guide I3 is cut awayl on its sides to form large openings 34a through which the dumped material can pass outwardly. The frangible cord 21 is a safety device to prevent premature release of the collar 3I while the dumper is descending in the well.

In order to prevent any premature dumping of the material, I prefer to provide the holder 5 with an auxiliary valve 36, which is preferably in the form of a check valve that opens in a downward direction from its seat 31. This valve has a stem 38, and extends upwardly from the valve, and ca-rries a collar 39 that receives the thrust of a helical coil spring 4U. This spring has suflicient force to hold the valve 36 closed against the weight of the material above this valve, but a sudden upward pull exerted on the tool string, will enable the inertia of the load of material to open this valve. In other words, the same upward pull thatopens the valve 8, will also open the valve 36.

The spring 30 also functions to cushion the blow` if the cage 9 strikes the upper end of the liner a violent blow in its descent.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein, is only `one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and

`l, do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

What I claim iszl. In a dumping apparatus for use in deep wells, the combination of a holder for the material to be dumped having a bottom opening, a valve seating on said bottom opening from above, a friction device located below the holder, with a lost-motion connection between the same and the holder, movable means carried on the holder for effecting the opening of the valve, and means for operating said last-named movable means by an upward movement of the holder. relative to the friction device. g a

2. In a dumping apparatus for use in deep wells, the combination of a holder for the material to be dumped and having a bottom opening, a valve for closing said bottom opening, a friction device located below the holder for engag-v ing the well casing, with a lost-motion connection between the same and the holder, means brought into operation by an upward movement of the holder relative to the friction device for opening the valve, and an auxiliary valve in the holder above the first-named valve, opening in a downward direction, said auxiliary `valve operating to prevent release of the material in case the first-named valve opens prematurely, while the dumping apparatus is descending in the well.

3. In a dumping apparatus for use in deep wells, the combination of a holder for the material to be dumped and having a bottom opening, a valve for closing said bottom opening, a friction device located below the holder for engaging the well casing, with a lost-motion connection between the same and the holder, means brought into opration by an upward movement of the holder relative to the friction device for opening the valve, and an auxiliary valve in the holder above the first-named valve, opening in a downward direction, and meansV for resisting the downward movement of the auxiliary valve, said auxiliary valve operating to prevent release of the material in case the first named valve opens prematurely, while the dumping apparatusis descending in the well.

4. In a dumping apparatus for use in deep wells, the combination of a holder for the material to be dumped having a bottom opening, a valve seating on saidbottom opening from above',

a stem located below said valve, means for guide' ing the lower end of said stem on said holder, movable means supported on the holder operating when actuated, to raise the stem,'and thereby move the valve off its seat, a friction device located below the holder for engaging the casing, with a lost-motion connection between the same and the holder, and means brought into action by upward movement of the holder relative to the friction device for actuating said movable means to open the valve.

5. In a dumping apparatus for use in 'deep wells, the combination of a holder for the material to be dumped having a bottom opening, a valve seating on said bottom opening from above, a friction device located below the holder, with a lost-motion connection between the same and the holder, movable means carried on the holder for effecting the openingof the valve, means for operating said last named movable means by an upward movement ofthe holder relative to the friction device, and a spring mounted between the holder and the friction device exerting its force to resist upward movement of the Vfriction device relative to the holder.

6. In a dumping apparatus for use in deep wells, the combination of a holder for the material to be dumped having a bottom opening, a valve seating on said bottom opening from above, a friction device located below the holder, with Va lost-motion connection between the same and the'holder, movable means carried on the holder for effecting the opening of the valve, means for operating said last named movable means by an upward movement of the holder relative to the friction device, a spring mounted between the` holder and the friction device exerting its force to resist upward movement of the friction device relative to the holder, and means for holding the friction sleeve in a relatively raised position against the force of said spring while the dumping apparatus is descending in the well.

7. In a dumping apparatus for use in deep wells, the combination of a holder for the mate.- rial to be dumped having a bottom opening, a valve seating on said bottom opening from above, a `stem located below said valve, means for guiding the lower end of said stem on said holder, a rocker mounted on the holder for actuating the stem to raise the valve off its seat, a friction device located below the holder for engaging the casing, with a lost-motion connection between the same and the holder, and means brought into action by upward movement of Vthe holder relative to the friction sleeve for actuating said rocker to open the valve.

8. In a dumping apparatus for use in deepV wells, the combination of a holder for the material to be dumped having a bottom opening, a valve seating on said bottom opening from above, a stem located below said valve, means for guiding the lower end of said stem on said holder, a head carried on said stem, a pair of rockers mountedon the holder below the head for lifting the head to open the valve, actuating rods connected with said rockers and extending downwardly, a frictiondevice located below the holder for engaging the casing, with a lost-motion connection between the same andthe holder, and

means connected with the sleeve for effecting a relative movement of said actuating rods brought into action by upward movement of the holder relative tothe friction sleeve, forY actuating said rockers to open the valve.

f9. In a dumping `apparatus for use in deep wells, the combination of a holder for the material to be dumped havingva bottom opening, a valve in the* form of a ball seating on said bottom opening from above, a stem guided to move substantially vertically in the holder below the valve for raising the same off its seat, a head carrying said valve stem and guided in the holder below the valve, a pair of rockers carried by the holder and having means for raising the head to Iopen the valve, actuating rods` for the rockers extending downwardly from the rockers, a fric- ,tion device located below the holder, having a movement to said actuating rods brought into action by 'an upward movement of the holder relative to the friction device, and a lost-motion connection between the friction device and the holder.

10. In a dumping apparatus Vfor use in deep wells, the combination of a holder for the mate? rial to be dumped having a bottom opening, a valve seating on said bottom opening from above, a stem located below saidvalve and capable of upward movement to open the valve, movable means supported on the holder for raising `the stem to open the valve, a friction device located below the holder for engaging the well casing, with a lost-motion connection between the same and the holder, a spring in the space between the holder and the friction device resisting upward movement of the friction device relative to the holder, and releasable means connecting the Aholder and the friction device operating to be` 

